Working Tax Credit & living with a partner i pay board money to

smange

Can I claim working family tax credit as a single person for myself and my daughter, I am currently living with someone but I have to look after myself and my daughter financially, I pay my boyfriend board money which covers my rent and food for myself and my daughter therefore we do not share finances at all, I buy all my own and my daughters clothes etc, my boyfriend will not help us out financially whatsoever. What are the rules around this kind of situation, I am basically a lodger.

jacques_chirac

You are partners for benefit purposes.

I hope you don't mind me asking, why do you stay with someone that treats you like that?

BigAunty

Your preference to keep your finances separate is irrelevant for the purposes of means tested benefits. As you are co-habiting, the entire household income will be taken into account. Since the inception of the welfare state, there has been an expectation embedded into the rules that partners support each other.

You cannot be classed as a lone parent (if that's what you are asking) just because you are an excluded occupier (otherwise known as a lodger) as your housing tenure is irrelevant to benefit calculations. You are considered to be living as man and wife even if your partner doesn't wish to contribute towards your expenses (in which case what you've got is a relationship problem, not a benefit problem).

To get WTC in a 2 parent family (which yours is for the purposes of benefits), you have to work at least 24 hours between you, with one doing at least 16 hours of this.

If the household income is low enough, you may qualify for WTC, housing benefit (if the property is rented), council tax discount, child tax credits. To do this, enter both your details into the Turn2us online benefit calculator.

smange

so if I moved in with my mother I could claim as a single parent ???

smange

BigAunty wrote: »

Your preference to keep your finances separate is irrelevant for the purposes of means tested benefits. As you are co-habiting, the entire household income will be taken into account. Since the inception of the welfare state, there has been an expectation embedded into the rules that partners support each other.

You cannot be classed as a lone parent (if that's what you are asking) just because you are an excluded occupier (otherwise known as a lodger) as your housing tenure is irrelevant to benefit calculations. You are considered to be living as man and wife even if your partner doesn't wish to contribute towards your expenses (in which case what you've got is a relationship problem, not a benefit problem).

To get WTC in a 2 parent family (which yours is for the purposes of benefits), you have to work at least 24 hours between you, with one doing at least 16 hours of this.

If the household income is low enough, you may qualify for WTC, housing benefit (if the property is rented), council tax discount, child tax credits. To do this, enter both your details into the Turn2us online benefit calculator.

So if I lodged at my mothers house could I claim as a single parent????

smange

blondebubbles wrote: »

Yes because then you wouldn't have a partner.

Seems daft as my financial situation would be the same as now.

Poppie68

smange wrote: »

Seems daft as my financial situation would be the same as now.

It's not daft as usually peope in relationships and living together help to support eachother..i don't know if your partner rents or has a mortgage but it just seems like all you are doing is helping to support him and getting nothing back in return. I would move back with your mum and find a new improved model.

BigAunty

smange wrote: »

So if I lodged at my mothers house could I claim as a single parent????

You want your daughter to absorb values that it is normal for parents to live apart or that it is normal for a main earner to spend money on just themselves?

You want your daughter to become a lone parent herself because she's not experienced being bought up by 2 adults? And to think that working full time is something that other people do?

smange

BigAunty wrote: »

You want your daughter to absorb values that it is normal for parents to live apart or that it is normal for a main earner to spend money on just themselves?

You want your daughter to become a lone parent herself because she's not experienced being bought up by 2 adults? And to think that working full time is something that other people do?

I do work full time

smange

Poppie68 wrote: »

It's not daft as usually peope in relationships and living together help to support eachother..i don't know if your partner rents or has a mortgage but it just seems like all you are doing is helping to support him and getting nothing back in return. I would move back with your mum and find a new improved model.

I would like to share financially (bank accounts, bills etc) but my partner wont as his previous ex got them into a lot of debt so he wont do it.

Poppie68

smange wrote: »

I would like to share financially (bank accounts, bills etc) but my partner wont as his previous ex got them into a lot of debt so he wont do it.

Do you claim WTC now as a couple?